JPH08149242A - Facsimile machine with printer function - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] In a facsimile machine with printer function,
Toner save operation is set for each FAX data and PC data to reduce toner consumption and facilitate operation. A PC that receives FAX data and records the FAX data sent from the FAX unit 72 to the printer unit 74 and a PC sent from the personal computer 98 to the printer unit 74
By setting whether or not to perform the toner save operation during the data recording operation, the FAX data recording operation, which often involves only checking the contents,
Recording is performed without toner save during PC data recording operation in which there are many cases where recording is performed with toner saved and a formal document or the like is output.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine with a printer function having a function as a printer for receiving print data output from a computer or the like and forming an image on a recording sheet according to the data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile machine with a printer function of this type uses an image forming apparatus provided in the facsimile machine to print print data (hereinafter, also referred to as PC data) output from a computer or the like. The reception unit receives facsimile data (hereinafter, also referred to as FAX data) transmitted via a telephone line and the like, and includes a control unit that drives and controls the image forming apparatus according to the received data. For general facsimile machines, P
This is realized by providing an interface for C data input and providing the control unit with a function of controlling drive of the image forming apparatus according to PC data input from the interface.

Further, as an image forming apparatus, a facsimile apparatus forms a toner image on a recording sheet by transferring toner onto the recording sheet according to image data (hereinafter, also referred to as bitmap data), and then the recording sheet. It is known to use a so-called laser printer in which a toner image is fixed by heating. In addition, in this type of facsimile apparatus, when an image is formed (that is, PC data or F
Although the toner is consumed when the AX data is printed), the image forming apparatus described above can use a well-known toner save technique for reducing the toner consumption amount by thinning out the dots forming the image data.

[0004]

However, when the above-mentioned printer function is added to such a facsimile apparatus, the toner consumption amount can be reduced by using the toner saving technique, but the toner saving operation is performed. Since it is not possible to set each data for each data, for example, for FAX data that only needs to be able to read the information from the recording paper after the image formation, it is necessary to operate the toner save to reduce the toner usage amount and to issue the official document. For certain PC data, it was not possible to automatically switch the operation of toner save, such as forming a clear image on recording paper without operating toner save. Therefore, to use it like this,
The user has to change the setting of the toner save operation at the time of printing the PC data, at the time of finishing the printing, and the like, and there is a problem that the setting is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. By enabling the toner save operation to be individually set for FAX data and PC data, the toner consumption can be reduced and the printer function is easy to operate. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an attached facsimile machine.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile apparatus with a printer function according to the invention of claim 1 is a facsimile receiving device for receiving facsimile data transmitted via a communication line. Section, a print data input section for inputting print data created by an external device such as a computer, a recording section for forming an image on a predetermined recording sheet by transferring toner, and facsimile data for a facsimile receiving section. When the print data is received, the print data is input to the print input unit, and first print control means for converting the data into image data for image formation and controlling the print unit to print the facsimile image on the print sheet. Then, the data is converted into image data, the recording unit is controlled, and an image corresponding to the print data is recorded on the recording paper. A printer-function-equipped facsimile apparatus comprising recording control means, comprising toner saver means for reducing the dot formation rate of image data by each recording control means to reduce the amount of toner used, and toner saver means. Toner save operation setting means for setting whether or not to operate is provided for each recording control means.

[0007]

In the facsimile machine with printer function of the present invention constructed as described above, when the facsimile data is received by the facsimile receiver, the first recording control means forms the facsimile data for image formation. The image data is converted and the recording unit is controlled to record the facsimile image on the recording paper. When the print data is input to the print input unit, the second recording control unit converts the print data into image data for image formation and controls the recording unit, and the print data is recorded on the recording paper according to the print data. Record the image. Further, the recording unit forms an image on the recording paper by transferring toner onto the recording paper according to the image data, but in the present invention, the dot formation rate of the image data by each recording control unit is set lower than usual. The toner save means for reducing the amount of toner used is provided, and the toner save operation setting means can set the operation / non-operation of the toner save means for each recording means.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is preset whether or not the toner save is operated for each of the facsimile data and the print data, so that the toner save operation is performed at the time of image formation (that is, at the time of printing). Can be automatically switched for each data.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 2 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of the facsimile apparatus 2 of the embodiment to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the internal mechanism thereof.

The facsimile apparatus 2 of this embodiment is
An image is read from a manuscript, the image data is transmitted as facsimile data to another facsimile device via a telephone line, and at the same time, facsimile data (FAX data) transmitted from another facsimile device is received via a telephone line. In addition to the function as a normal facsimile device that forms the image on the recording paper, it receives print data (PC data) transmitted from a personal computer (hereinafter, personal computer) or word processor via a printer cable. , And has a function as a printer that forms an image according to the data on a recording sheet.

As shown in FIG. 2, a receiver 12 is attached to the side of the main body 10 of the facsimile apparatus 2, and an operation panel 14 is provided on the front of the upper surface. A recording paper cassette 16 (see FIG. 3) is provided at the rear of the upper surface of the main body 10.
A cassette mounting portion 18 for detachably mounting the document is formed, and a document table 20 is formed at the center of the upper surface.

On the other hand, in the main body 10, as shown in FIG. 3, an image is formed on a scanner unit 22 for reading an image from an original placed on an original table 20 and a recording paper 24 accommodated in a recording paper cassette 16. A recording unit 26 for performing the above operation, and a control unit 70 that drives and controls each of these units to realize the above functions are built in.

In the scanner section 22, the originals placed on the original table 20 are taken one by one by a paper feed mechanism including a paper feed roller 32 and a separation pad 31. And
The document is transported to the document support plate 34 by the transport rollers 33, and the image is read by the image reading device 35 arranged below the document support plate 34. Further, the document after the image reading is discharged to the discharge tray 37 provided on the front surface of the main body 10 via the discharge roller 36.

The image reading device 35 irradiates the original document on the original document support plate 34 with light from the light source 38, reflects the reflected light from the original document with the mirrors 39 and 40, and further, with the lens 41, the line image sensor. It is a well-known one that reads an original image line by line by condensing it on the light receiving surface of 42. A document sensor 44 that optically detects whether or not a document is set on the document table 20 is provided on the path from the document table 20 to the paper feeding mechanism.

On the other hand, in the recording section 26, the recording paper cassette 1
The recording papers 24 accommodated in the sheet 6 are taken in one by one by a paper feed mechanism including a paper feed roller 51 and a separation pad 52. Then, the recording paper 24 is sent to the image forming apparatus 55 via the conveyance roller 53, and the toner image is formed in the image forming apparatus 55. Further, the recording paper 24 after the image formation is sent to the fixing device 56, and after the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 56, the recording paper 24 is provided on the front surface of the main body 10 via the paper ejection roller 57. It is discharged to 58. The fixing device 56 is a well-known device including a heating roller having a built-in heater for heating and a pressing roller for holding the recording paper 24 between the heating roller and the heating roller. By doing so, the toner image is fixed on the recording paper 24.

Further, the image forming apparatus 55 includes the photosensitive drum 6
1, a laser beam scanning device 62 that irradiates the photosensitive drum 61 with laser light to form an electrostatic latent image on its surface, and a developing device 6 that adheres toner to the photosensitive drum 61 after the electrostatic latent image is formed.
3 and a transfer device 65 which has a transfer roller 64 and applies an electric charge to the recording paper 24 to transfer the toner adhering to the photosensitive drum 61 to the recording paper 24. Further, the laser light scanning device 62 is provided. Is provided with a laser emitting section 67 for emitting a laser beam in accordance with a command from the control section 70, a lens 68 for condensing the laser beam, a reflection mirror 69 for guiding the laser beam condensed by the lens 68 to the photosensitive drum 61, and the like. ing.

That is, the recording unit 26 is configured as a so-called laser printer, and according to a command from the control unit 70,
An image is formed on the recording paper 24. Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 70 that controls the above-mentioned units is a fax machine (FA).
(X) section 72, printer section 74, and gate array 76 connecting these sections.

The FAX unit 72 sets an operation mode, reads a document image, sends / receives FAX data, decodes received data, in response to various commands input from the user through the operation panel 14. This is for transferring the decrypted FAX data to the printer unit 74, etc.
PU80, ROM82, RAM84, network control unit (NCU) that enables communication and FAX data transmission / reception with other telephones and facsimile devices
86, and a modem 88 for transmitting / receiving FAX data to / from another facsimile machine via the NCU 86. And CPU80, ROM82, RAM
84, NCU 86, modem 88, and operation panel 14
Are connected to each other via a bus 89, and the gate array 76 is also connected to the bus 89. Further, the NCU 86 is connected to the above-mentioned handset 12 and a speaker for making a call, and a telephone call with another telephone can be performed via the handset 12.

On the other hand, the printer unit 74 includes a gate array 7
This is for forming a facsimile image on the recording paper 24 (in other words, printing FAX data) by drivingly controlling the recording unit 26 according to the FAX data sent from the FAX unit 72 via 6. Like the FAX unit 72, the CPU 90, the ROM 92, and the RAM 94 are included in the well-known microcomputer. Further, the printer section 74 is provided with a personal computer interface 96 as a print data input section.
When the PC data from the external personal computer 98 is input to the interface 96, the PU 90 drives and controls the recording unit 26 according to the personal computer data, and forms a created image created on the recording paper 24 by the personal computer 98 side. (In other words, P
C data is printed). Then, the CPU 90 and the ROM 9
2, the RAM 94, the personal computer interface 96, and the recording unit 26 are connected to each other via a bus 99, and the gate array 76 is also connected to the bus 99.

Next, among various control processes executed in the FAX unit 72 and the printer unit 74, a toner save mode setting process and a FA process which are main processes relating to the present invention.
The X data reception processing and the FAX data and PC data printing processing will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a toner save mode setting process for externally setting whether or not to perform toner save when printing FAX data and PC data. This processing corresponds to the toner save operation setting means of the present invention, and is executed by the FAX CPU 80 when the user operates a predetermined function key of the operation panel 14 to input a toner save mode setting command. .

As shown in FIG. 4, when the processing is started, first, in S110 (S represents a step), the currently set F is displayed on the display screen provided on the operation panel 14.
Displays the toner save mode (toner save ON / OFF) when printing AX data. From this display, the user can confirm the setting state of the toner save mode when printing the FAX data, and if it is necessary to change the setting state,
The cursor save key provided on the operation panel 14 is operated to input a toner save mode switching command, and if the displayed setting contents are acceptable, the set key for determination provided on the operation panel 14 is pressed. In order to input the confirmation command, in step S120, the key input by the user is accepted, and if the key input is a command to switch the toner save mode, the toner save is turned on / off on the display screen.
Executes key input acceptance processing such as switching the state. Then, in subsequent S130, it is determined whether or not the key input accepted in S120 is a press of the set key. If the set key is not pressed (N in S130,
O), the process proceeds to S120 again. If it is determined in S130 that the set key has been pressed (YES in S130).
In S) and S140, the toner save currently displayed is turned on.
The / OFF state is stored in the RAM 84 as a toner save mode for printing FAX data.

In this way, when the toner save mode for printing FAX data is recorded, the currently set toner save mode for PC data printing is displayed on the display screen in S150. And in the following S160,
Similar to S120 above, if a user's key input is accepted and the key input is a toner save mode switching command, ON / OFF of toner save is displayed on the display screen.
A key input acceptance process such as switching the state is executed, and in the subsequent S170, it is determined whether or not the set key has been pressed. If the set key is not pressed (S1
If NO at 70, the process proceeds to S160 again, and conversely, if the set key is pressed (YES at S170), S180.
Shows the ON / OFF status of toner save currently displayed as RA as the toner save mode when printing PC data.
It is stored in M84, and the process ends.

That is, in this embodiment, whether or not the toner save is executed at the time of printing can be set for each data to be printed (FAX data and PC data). It should be noted that the toner save mode at the time of printing each data set in the toner save mode setting process and stored in the RAM 84 is transferred to the PRINT CPU 90 on the printer unit 74 side after the end of the process, and is transferred to the printer unit 74 side. Is stored in the RAM 94 and used when the CPU 90 prints FAX data and PC data.

Next, the FAX data receiving process, which is repeatedly executed as one of the main routines in the FAX CPU 80, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, when this process is started, first, in S210, the NCU as the facsimile receiving unit is operated.
It waits until the FAX data is received by determining whether the FAX data is received by the 86 and the modem 88. When the FAX data is received (YES in S210), the process proceeds to S220, the print request command is transmitted to the printer CPU 90, and S23 is executed.
At 0, it is determined whether or not the print OK command transmitted from the printer CPU 90 in response to the print request command can be received. If the print OK command is received (YES in S230), the FAX data can be printed on the printer unit 74 side, so that the received FAX data is simultaneously printed on the recording paper in S240 (recording). If the print OK command cannot be received (NO in S230), the FAX data cannot be recorded and received. Therefore, in step S250, the received F flag is received.
A memory reception flag indicating that AX data is stored in the memory (memory reception) is set.

In this way, when the recording reception flag or the memory reception flag is set, the process proceeds to S260, and after the reception data decoding process shown in FIG. 6 is activated, the received FAX data is stored in the RAM 84 in S270. S280 is stored in a predetermined storage area (reception buffer memory 84a).
Determines whether reception of one page of FAX data has been completed, and if reception of one page of FAX data has not been completed (NO in S280), the process proceeds to S270. Page buffer for receiving buffer 84a
To be stored. If it is determined in S280 that the reception of one page of FAX data is completed (YES in S280),
In S290, it is determined whether or not the FAX data of the next page has been received. If the FAX data of the next page has not been received (NO in S290), the process is once terminated and the FAX data of the next page is If received (YE in S290)
S) Then, the process proceeds to S270 again, and the FAX data of the next page and subsequent pages are also stored in the reception buffer memory 84a in the same procedure as described above.

Next, the received data decoding process started in S260 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. It should be noted that this process is a process for transmitting the FAX data stored in the reception buffer memory 84a to the printer unit 74 side, and is executed in a time division manner by utilizing the idle time of the reception process.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this reception data decoding process, first, in S300, the reception flag set before the process is started is the recording reception flag in S240, or It is determined whether it is the memory reception flag in S250. If the set reception flag is the recording reception flag and the recording is currently being received, the process proceeds to S310 and the reception buffer memory 84a.
It is determined whether the received data for one page is stored in. If the received data for one page is stored, S320
If the received data for one page is not stored, the process of S310 is repeated to wait until the received data for one page is stored in the reception buffer memory 84a.

Next, in S320, the FAX data stored in the reception buffer memory 84a is decoded into image data for printing (bitmap data), and in S330,
The decrypted FAX data is transferred to the printer unit 74 side. Then, in S340, it is determined whether or not the transfer of the data for one page is completed, and if the transfer for one page is not completed (NO in S340), the process proceeds to S320 again, and the FAX data 1 Decode and transfer pages.

On the other hand, when the decryption and transfer of one page of FAX data are completed, a page break command is transmitted to the printer unit 74 side in S350 to notify that the transmission of one page of FAX data has been completed. . And S360 continues
Then, F on the next page to be printed in the reception buffer memory 84a
It is judged whether there is AX data remaining, and the FAX on the next page
If the data remains (YES in S360), the process proceeds to S310 again, and the FAX data on the next page and subsequent pages are decrypted and transmitted in the same manner as described above, and all of the data stored in the reception buffer memory 84a is stored. When the decryption and transmission of the FAX data of No. is completed (NO in S360), S37
At 0, an end command indicating that is transmitted to the printer unit 74 side, and at S380, the currently set reception flag (in this case, the recording reception flag) is reset, and the process ends.

On the other hand, when it is determined in S300 that the currently set reception flag is the memory reception flag, that is, the memory reception is currently being performed, or even if the memory reception is not being performed in the past. When the received data is stored in the reception buffer memory 84a by the received memory, the process proceeds to S390, and the print request command is transmitted to the printer CPU 90 as in S220. Then, in subsequent S395, it is determined whether or not the print OK command transmitted from the printer CPU 90 in response to the print request command can be received, and if the print OK command cannot be received (S395: N
O), and the FAX unit 7 is moved to S390 again.
Wait until FAX data can be printed on the 4th side. Then, when the print OK command is received in S395 (YES in S395), the printer unit 74 side receives the FAX.
When it is determined that the data can be printed, S31
By shifting to 0 and executing the processing of S310 to S380 described above, the FAX data stored in the reception buffer memory 84a is decoded and transmitted to the FAX unit 74. Since the reception flag set when the decoding and transmission of the FAX data received by the memory is completed is the memory reception flag, the memory reception flag is reset in S380.

That is, in this received data decoding process,
If a record is being received, F in the reception buffer memory 84a
The FAX data is promptly decrypted and transmitted, and if the memory is being received, the printer section 74 waits until the FAX data can be printed by repeatedly executing the processing of S390 and S395. When printing becomes possible, the FAX data received by the memory is decrypted and transmitted.

Next, the printing process of FAX data and PC data executed by the PRINT CPU 90 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8. As shown in FIG. 7, when this process is started, first,
In S410, it is determined whether or not there is a print request from the personal computer (PC) 98 side, and if there is no print request from the personal computer 98 side (NO in S410), F in S420.
It is determined whether or not there is a print request from the AX unit 72 side, and if there is no print request from the FAX unit 72 side, 8S
The procedure waits until a print request is input from the personal computer 98 or the FAX unit 72 in a procedure such as NO in 420) and the process returns to S410 again.

If there is a print request from the FAX unit 72 side (YES in S420), the process proceeds to S430,
The recording unit 26 determines whether or not the printing operation is currently possible, and if the recording unit 26 is not in the printing operation (S43).
(NO in 0), the process proceeds to S440 again, and print NG indicating that the FAX data cannot be printed on the FAX unit 72 side.
The command is transmitted, the process is once terminated, and the recording unit 2
If 6 is printable (YES in S430),
In step S450, the print OK command is transmitted to the FAX unit 72 side.

After sending the print OK command, S
After shifting to 460, the PRINT CPU 90 receives the transmission data from the FAX unit 72 side via the gate array 76, and the FAX interface input / output port (hereinafter, FAX).
Waiting for FAX data to be transmitted from the FAX unit 72 by determining whether or not the I / F / IO) has valid data.

Then, in S460, FAX / I / F / I
If it is determined that O has valid data (YES in S460)
In S) and S470, it is determined whether the data is a page break command. If the data is not a page break command (NO in S470), in S480, it is determined whether the data is an end command. If the data is not the end command (NO in S480), the data is stored in the recording buffer memory 94a for one page of the recording paper in the RAM 94 in S490, and the process proceeds to S460 again. In such a procedure, the decoded image data transmitted from the FAX unit 72 side is sequentially expanded on the recording buffer memory 94a of the RAM 94.

If it is determined in S480 that the input data is the end command (YES in S480).
S) Since there is no FAX data to be printed anymore, the process is once terminated, and if it is determined in S470 that the input data is a page break command (YES in S470).
S), 1 is stored in the recording buffer memory 94a of the RAM 94.
Since the image data for the pages has been stored, the toner save mode at the time of printing the FAX data is read out at S500, and it is determined whether the toner save is set to ON.

If the toner save is set to OFF (NO in S500), in S520, the image data (FAX data) for one page in the recording buffer memory 94a is sequentially sequentially scanned for one scanning line. The laser beam scanning device 62 transfers the laser beam to the laser beam scanning device 62 to emit a laser beam corresponding to this data, and at the same time, the sheet feeding roller 51, the conveying roller 53, which constitute the recording unit 26,
By driving mechanical components such as the fixing device 56, the paper discharge roller 57, the photosensitive drum 61, and the developing device 63, the recording paper 2
4 form an image corresponding to one page of FAX data (print), perform normal printing of FAX data, and repeat S
Move to 460.

On the other hand, if the toner save is set to ON (YES in S500), the process proceeds to S510, and the image data (FAX data) for one page in the recording buffer memory 94a is sequentially scanned for one scanning line. The dot laser light scanning device 6 reads out and inverts the dot data to be printed from the read one scanning line data to the dot data not to be printed at a predetermined ratio (for example, one in two).
By transferring the data to the laser light scanning device 62, laser light corresponding to image data obtained by thinning out dot data to be printed at a predetermined ratio is emitted from the laser light scanning device 62, and at the same time, the paper feed roller 51, By driving mechanical components such as the conveyance roller 53, the fixing device 56, the paper discharge roller 57, the photosensitive drum 61, and the developing device 63, an image in which the dot formation rate of FAX data is reduced by a predetermined ratio is formed on the recording paper 24 (Printing) is performed, and toner save printing of FAX data is performed, and the process proceeds to S460 again.

Next, when it is determined in S410 that a print request is issued from the personal computer 98 side (S410
If YES, the process proceeds to S530, and similarly to S430, the recording unit 26 determines whether or not the print operation is currently possible. If the recording unit 26 is not ready for printing (NO in S530), the personal computer 9 is operated in S540.
A BUSY signal indicating that PC data cannot be printed is transmitted to the 8 side, the process is once terminated, and conversely, the recording unit 2
If 6 is ready for printing (YES in S530),
In S550, after the PC data printing process is executed, the process is temporarily terminated.

Next, the PC data printing process in S550 is executed as shown in FIG. That is, first, in S560, it is determined whether or not the PRINT CPU 90 has valid data in the PC interface input / output port (hereinafter, PC / I / F / IO) that receives the transmission data from the personal computer 98 via the personal computer interface 96. By determining whether or not it waits for PC data to be transmitted from the personal computer 98. Then, in S560, the PC / I
If it is determined that the / F / IO has valid data (S56
(YES in 0), in S570, it is determined whether the data is a page break command, and if the data is not a page break command, in S580, it is determined whether the data is an end command. If it is not an end command (N in S580
O), in S590, the data is stored in the recording buffer memory 94a in the RAM 94, and the process proceeds to S560 again, and the PC data transmitted from the personal computer 98 side is recorded in the recording buffer memory 94 of the RAM 94.
Expand on a.

In S590, PC / I / F / IO
When the input data to the recording buffer memory 94a is stored in the recording buffer memory 94a, if the PC data transmitted from the personal computer 98 is image data for printing (bitmap data),
This is stored as it is in the corresponding recording position on the recording buffer memory 94a. On the contrary, if the PC data is code data such as ASCII code, the PC data is converted into image data for printing (bitmap data). Meanwhile, it is expanded on the recording buffer memory 94a.

Next, when it is determined in S580 that the input data from the personal computer 98 is the end command (YES in S580), the PC data is no longer transmitted from the personal computer 98 side. When the processing is terminated once and it is determined that the input data is a page break command in S570 (YES in S570), the RAM 94
Since the image data for one page has been stored in the recording buffer memory 94a of P.
The toner save mode at the time of printing the C data is read to determine whether the toner save is set to ON.

Then, if the toner save is set to OFF (NO in S600), the process proceeds to S620 and, like S520, 1 in the recording buffer memory 94a is set.
By driving the recording unit 26 according to the image data (PC data) for one page, normal printing of PC data is performed,
If the toner save is set to ON (YES in S600), the process proceeds to S610, and the recording buffer memory 94a is operated in the same manner as in S510.
By driving the recording unit 26 according to the image data (PC data) for one page in the inside, toner save printing of the PC data is performed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the user can set the toner save mode for each of the FAX data and the PC data by operating the operation panel 14, and the data of each data is set. At the time of printing, whether to perform toner save printing (S510, S610) or normal printing (S520, S620) is automatically switched according to the set toner save mode.

For this reason, for example, when toner save printing is performed on FAX data to reduce the amount of toner used, and normal printing is performed on PC data to form a clear image on recording paper, the conventional method is used. ON / OF of toner save every time PC data is printed like a device
It is not necessary to switch F, and the toner save setting process is started to turn ON / OFF the toner save for each data in advance.
Since it is necessary to set in advance, it is very easy to use, and the toner save can effectively function for each data.

In this embodiment, the processing of S460 to S520 for printing FAX data is performed by the first recording control means, and the processing of S560 to S620 for printing PC data is performed by the second recording control means. Equivalent to each, of which,
Toner save ON / OFF determination and toner save printing are performed for each data. S500, S510 and S60
The processing of 0 and S610 corresponds to the toner save means.

In the present embodiment, the print buffer memory 94a stores image data that can be printed normally and that corresponds to FAX data and PC data, and the data is stored in the laser beam scanning device 62 of the recording unit 26. In the above description, the toner save printing is performed by thinning out the dot data to be printed when the image data is transferred to the printer. Even if data is thinned out, toner save printing can be performed.

In this embodiment, the control unit 70 is set to FAX.
The facsimile device which is divided into the unit 72 and the printer unit 74 to realize the transmission / reception of the FAX data and the printing of the FAX data and the PC data by the processing of the two CPUs 80 and 90 provided in these units has been described. CP
The present invention can be applied even to a facsimile machine in which these processes are realized by U.

[0050]

As described above, according to the facsimile apparatus with a printer function of the present invention, whether or not the toner save is operated for each of the facsimile data and the print data is set in advance, so that the image forming operation can be performed. The toner save operation can be automatically switched for each data (that is, during printing). Therefore, the toner save can be effectively operated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an internal mechanism of the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a toner save mode setting process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing FAX data reception processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a received data decoding process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a printing process of FAX data and PC data.

FIG. 8 is a PC data printing process shown in FIG. 7 (S550).
3 is a flowchart showing the details of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Facsimile device 14 ... Operation panel 24 ...
Recording paper 26 ... Recording unit 55 ... Image forming device 56 ... Fixing device 61 ... Photosensitive drum 62 ... Laser beam scanning device 63
... developing device 65 ... transfer device 70 ... control unit 72 ... FAX unit
74 ... Printer unit 76 ... Gate array 84a ... Reception buffer memory
88 ... Modem 86 ... NCU 94a ... Recording buffer memory 96 ... Personal computer interface

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile receiving unit for receiving facsimile data transmitted via a communication line, a print data input unit for inputting print data created by an external device such as a computer, and toner transfer. When the facsimile data is received by the recording unit for forming an image on a predetermined recording paper by the facsimile receiving unit, the data is converted into image data for image formation, the recording unit is controlled, and the recording is performed. First recording control means for recording a facsimile image on paper, and when print data is input to the print input section,
A facsimile machine with a printer function, comprising: second recording control means for converting the data into the image data, controlling the recording part, and recording an image according to the print data on the recording paper. Toner save means for reducing the dot formation rate of the image data by the recording control means to reduce the toner usage amount and whether or not to operate the toner save means are set for each of the recording control means. A facsimile machine with a printer function, comprising: a toner save operation setting unit that is provided.